


Lovebirds and Angels

by SAMCROeater



Series: MCU [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:22:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29975946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SAMCROeater/pseuds/SAMCROeater
Relationships: Clint Barton/Original Female Character(s)
Series: MCU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2190117





	1. Missing Edge

Clint’s POV: 

I’d heard that there was gonna be a new girl coming to stay with our fucked up family. Of course, I was curious, but most girls didn’t last long here. They couldn’t handle the sexual abuse. Those that could were used to it from the outside and found a way to cope or they were so fucked in the head that they thought that that was the price they had to pay to get what they thought was a real family. Only to be disappointed by the reality that the circus was not a family that anyone really wanted to be part of. And when I saw the girl going into the ringmaster’s carriage, I knew she’d be the former. She was beautiful, young, gorgeous, innocent-looking, sweet, and had a killer body. She looked like she was 15, meaning that she was either completely innocent and this place was going to ruin her, or she was tougher than she looked and she was a ball buster and this place was going to ruin her in a different way. But most likely the former once again. The Coney Island Circus was not a friendly place if you weren’t a customer. Either way, she was screwed. All I could do was watch as it happened. Nobody ever saw it until it was too late. I was called off to help with something. I hadn’t been paying attention. I was admiring the new girl. She was one of those girls who blossomed early, so my 16-year-old mind was staring at her tits and ass. I walked into the main tent to practice the routine, not paying much attention to anything until the new girl was brought in. She had that looked that said she was uncomfortable around the ringmaster. Something we all saw way too often around here. I watched her go up to the trapeze platforms, placing the bow across my shoulders, standing back to watch her. As I watched her, I was actually impressed. Watching her was like watching someone dance on an elephant. It might not sound super impressive, but I couldn’t do that shit to save my life. But this girl was flipping and flying through the air with an ease that said she’d been doing this for a while. When she was done she landed on one of the platforms and looked down at all of us. 

“Excellent! Everyone’s gonna pay good money to see you perform, darlin’. Come up with a routine and come up with a playlist. You won’t perform until the next big show. Until then, Barton will pull you under his wing and teach you how things work around here.”  
“Where am I putting her, boss?”  
“With you for now until we can get another cot for her. But I swear to God, Barton, you fuck her like you did with the last girls and I’ll kick your ass.”

I couldn’t help but smirk. I had a tendency to sleep with the girls that came in and pissed them off. One girl got pregnant but lost the baby after drinking way too much. It was sad, but I couldn’t say I wasn’t a little relieved that we didn’t have that responsibility hanging over us. We weren’t ready for it and it wasn’t a surprise to anyone. I just stood and watched the girl come back down and come over, giving her a small wave. 

“Clint Barton. That was impressive.”  
“Evelyn Rose. No last name. And thank you.”  
“Gymnastics?”  
“Since I was 5. The aerials are new. And really fun. What’s your thing?”  
“I never miss and I like archery.”  
“Show me?”  
“Choose a target.”

I prepared my bow as I watched her look around. When she smirked and looked at me, I raised an eyebrow. 

“How about a moving target?”  
“Ok? What’d you have in mind?”  
“Me. Can you hit me during a routine?”  
“You want me to hit you with an arrow? Do you have a death wish?”  
“No. But I wanted to make it interesting. Do you have any fake arrows?”  
“One. But I’d have to go get it.”  
“Then go get it. I’ll set up.”

I smiled and shook my head. This girl was something else. Nobody else ever signed up to be my goal for target practice. I grabbed the suction arrow before going back to the main tent, seeing her swinging in the silk pieces while they were wrapped around her so much it didn’t look comfortable. I couldn’t help but chuckle. She looked so excited to see me that I threw me off. I wasn’t used to that look. 

“You ready to do this, Evelyn? I still think this is strange.”  
“I’m ready whenever you are. If you can hit me while I’m moving, I’ll be incredibly impressed.”

I readied my bow, aiming it at her. She removed her hands from the silk pieces and flipped, spun, and twisted as she fell. It was distracting, but I did hit her in the stomach right before she stopped, inches from the floor. It made her laugh when she felt it, dragging me with her. How the hell was I supposed to know that I had been dragged into the best 4 years of my life?

\----------------------

Clint’s POV: 

I smirked as I watched as Evelyn was wheeled in on my big target board, her smile matching mine. I wish I could say that I don’t know why I let her talk me into this. Before she got here, she was a virgin. And now…...well, let’s just say that she isn’t anymore. It’s really hard to focus when she’s learned all of my buttons. I readied my bow, aiming for the first of my goals. The left side of her head. She trusted me and I knew it. The audience gasped and jumped when the arrow hit the target. I aimed at the right side of her head. Another hit. Under her left armpit. Another hit. Her right armpit. Then on both sides of her ankles and then my favorite goal. Right between her legs. I returned her smirk, seeing her get off of the goal and take a dramatic bow. I watched the clowns go to retrieve my arrows as she came back to grab the props for the next part of our act. When she came back I pulled her into a deep kiss, holding onto her neck gently. I didn’t have time to say anything, watching her walk back out with her arms full of things I was supposed to shoot off her head. Apples, pineapples, hoops, and tons of other things. This time I was doing it blindfolded. At least, that’s what the audience thought. The piece of cloth they put over my eyes was just sheer enough that I could see basic shapes. Meaning I could see even the hardboiled egg we ended this on. When she came over, we walked off together, sneaking back to my tent to have some fun before her routine. We had an hour to kill before she even had to get ready. My tent wasn’t that far away from the main tent, so we could hear all of the screams and cheers from the audience. The entire time we were together, that was the soundtrack to our actions. When we finished, she played with my hands before straddling me again, signing to me, something she’d learned for me. 

‘I love you, Clint. I’m glad to have met you.’  
‘I know you are. I love you too, Evie.’

\---------------------

Clint’s POV: 

I couldn’t help but laugh as I watched Evelyn played with Anna’s baby. The little boy was about 3 years old and a total troublemaker. At his most wild, Evelyn was the only one he’d listen to. And today was one of those days. He had too much energy and no way to let it out until Evelyn took him from Anna. anna had been at her wit’s end and Evelyn and I couldn’t focus on what we were doing with the crying child so close to us. So she put her clothes back on and taught him how to make snowballs. Which might not have been the best idea since his favorite target was the ringmaster whenever he would come around. The little boy was currently making a fresh snowball, looking over when Evelyn bent down to tell him something. He turned to look at me, looking back at her before running to me as fast as his tiny but chubby legs would allow him to. 

“Come pway or aunnie Lyn will cwy.”  
“I don’t want her to cry, but I’m not in the mood to play, buddy.”  
“He said no, aunnie Lyn! Should I pwetend to hit him now?”  
“Yeah, bubba.”

Everyone around us was pissing themselves as they listened to the exchange. I had work to hold back my own laughter as he started weakly hitting wherever he could reach. Which was mostly my legs. 

“You make aunnie Lyn cwy…..”

I smirked at her, signing my words. 

‘Really? We’re gonna do this?’  
‘That’s right, Clint. We’re doing this.’  
‘I will destroy you and this little demon.’  
‘Prove it, bitch.’

I looked at her with my eyes going wide. She was trying to get me to chase after her and play. And damn it, it was working. I picked up the little boy, going to a big pile of snow and gently tossing him into it, making sure he was ok. And judging by the hysterical laughter coming from him as he poked his head out, he was just fine. I looked over at Evelyn and she immediately started laughing as she took off running. I gave her a head start before taking off after her, only going when I knew Anna had gotten her son. She was pretty fast and nimble, but I was slightly faster. I caught up to where I had seen her run through, but when I got there, she wasn’t there anymore. But I wasn’t waiting long before she dropped down from a hanging tree branch, landing on my back, both of us falling to the ground. I rolled her over onto her back pinning her hands above her head. 

“Say you love me, Clint.”  
“And if I don’t?”  
“I’ll get out from under you and you’ll never be able to catch me again.”  
“And if I still don’t?”  
“Then I’ll cry until I’m dehydrated and get sick.”  
“And if I still don’t?”  
“Then I’ll never have sex with you again.”

I smiled down at her, leaning down to kiss her softly and passionately, nudging her legs open with mine. I pulled away and looked into her eyes. 

“I love you, Evelyn Rose. And I don’t think I’ll ever stop.”  
“I love you too, Clinton Francis Barton. And I pray I’ll never stop.”

\---------------------

Clint’s POV: 

I fumed as I walked out of the ringmaster’s carriage, slamming the door behind me. I can’t believe he was risking all of this for nothing. I’d heard from Anna that he was getting rid of Evelyn’s net in the main tent. I went inside our tent and had to stop. She was still sleeping. And she should be resting. We had a pregnancy scare and she’d been up all night the night before last until we could go out and get a pregnancy test. She wasn’t supposed to be performing tonight anyway, so she was gonna spend the day resting. Watching her, I made my decision. I was gonna get her out of here. I was gonna take her and run. I’d been wrong from the beginning. She was so different from how I thought she’d be. But this place would ruin her if I let her stay here. So tonight, when everyone was in the main tent, I was gonna get her out of here. I don’t know what we were gonna do once we’re out of here, but I didn’t care. We’ll figure it out. I went to pack a couple of bags, filling them with some clothes, the cash that we had between the two of us, her camera, and a few other personal things, hiding them under the bed before I woke her up, kissing her softly. 

‘Clint? Is everything ok? You look angry?’  
“We’re getting out of here. Tonight. That bastard took away your net because he wants more money. He’s gonna get you killed and I won’t let that happen. So while everyone’s working, you and I are hopping on my bike and we’re getting the hell out of New York.’

I watched the color drain from her face, the fear filling her eyes. She didn’t wanna believe it, but I’ve never lied to her. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It didn’t take much to get her to agree with me. 

‘We’ll have to play nice until tonight. But since everyone thinks you’re sick, you don’t have to do anything. Just stay here. If anyone comes in, just pretend to sleep or read or something. But I won’t let anything happen to you. Ok?’  
‘Ok. I love you, Clint.’  
‘I love you too.’

I kissed her softly before leaving, getting called by Anna. I was called to help everyone over the course of the day. I was busy helping set things up when Evelyn was cornered by the ringmaster and forced to perform tonight. I couldn’t do anything to stop it and when I found out, I was furious and panicked. I had to find a way to get her out of this. But I literally couldn’t do a damn thing. By the time I was able to stop helping people, Evelyn was getting ready to do one of her routines. I watched helplessly as she twisted herself up in the silk, seeing how high she was from the ground. I was actually shaking with fear as I watched. What was worse was that I could see what would happen before it actually did. Her ankle got caught in a loop it wasn’t supposed to as she fell and she started panicking. I ran out without thinking to try and catch her, but I couldn’t get there in time and she fell to the ground with a loud and sickening thud. When I got to her, it was all I could do not to break down and hurl. She looked broken and she couldn’t breathe. Some of the others ran over too. Everything after that seemed to move at a weird speed. Some things went by super fast, but the rest went by super slow. I saw Evelyn try to talk, but she looked to be in too much pain to be able to talk. Anna called for an ambulance and I tried to ride with her, but they wouldn’t let me. I ended up hopping onto my bike and riding to the hospital to see how she was doing. I had to lie and tell them that she was my sister in order to get any information on her. And what I was told broke me. She’d died before I got there. I didn’t get to say goodbye. I wouldn’t get to propose to her. I wouldn’t get to marry her. Everything was gone. What was I gonna do now? She’d loved being part of the circus and she was the only thing keeping me there. And now she was gone. And with her went my desire to be with anyone. I walked out of the hospital and back out to my bike. I had a choice. I could go back to the circus and the reminders of her. Or I could leave like I planned to and start my life without her. 

\--------------------

Clint’s POV: 

I walked into the cafe, ordering myself a couple of coffees while I waited for Coulson to show up. I sat down at a table in the back, reading a newspaper as I sat there. There were only a few people sitting with their coffees and whatever breakfast thing they got, so the only sounds were coming from the machines that were going behind the register and in the back. So when the bells rang over the door, it attracted everyone’s attention to see who had disturbed the otherwise silent coffee shop. Including mine. And I could swear that my fucking heart stopped. No way that was her. She was dead. I hadn’t stayed for the funeral because I knew there wouldn’t be one. According to the state, she was a nobody that fell off the face of the planet. So she’d get the grave plaque to prove it. But I had my own little funeral for her. I burned all of our pictures and then drank myself stupid. A three-day bender that ended when I had to get my stomach pumped when someone found me in the park choking on my own vomit. That was fun. Shaking myself from my thoughts, I watched her go up to the cashier, silently moving closer to see if I could see if it was really her. 

“Can I get plain black coffee, an iced peppermint tea with liquid sugar, and three hot chocolates, all to go? And some donuts?”  
“Sure, ma’am. Would you like to pick out what you want?”  
“Why don’t you surprise me?”

It was her. Flaming red hair, beautiful smile, and that voice that used to lull me to sleep. How is she here? I watched her fall and break what looked like every bone in her body. I got up to go talk to her, wanting to hold her in my arms again, but just I reached her, so did some little kid, pulling on her skirt. 

“Mama? I gotta go potty.”  
“Ok, bubby. Let’s go.”

I turned my back to her and moved out of her way. Of course, she’d have a kid. Of course, she’d have a family. She deserved it. The circus didn’t ruin her life. But it had ruined mine.


	2. Wild Thorn

Evelyn walked into the restaurant with her fiance and his parents, lacing her fingers with his as they checked in for their reservation. Martha and Roger were going back to Boca Raton in the morning, so they were all spending one last dinner together. 

“I’m going to use the little girl’s room really quick. If someone comes for our drinks, will you get me a glass of rose?”  
“Of course.”

She smiled and kissed Luke softly before walking back to the bathroom. She checked her makeup before going to use one of the stalls. It had been a long week of wedding planning and browsing for dresses with her soon-to-be mother-in-law, and she was looking forward to getting to relax. If it hadn’t been for the fact that Luke’s grandmother wasn’t going to last too much longer now that the cancer had reached her lungs, she’d go with him to the courthouse and have a quick ceremony. The only thing that she truly enjoyed about the wedding planning was the food and cake tasting and deciding. She’d tried four different restaurants before going with an Italian restaurant that had a carbonara that she loved. The cake that she’d decided on was a little different than traditional wedding cakes. The actual cake had bananas and vanilla pudding mashed into the mix, with vanilla bean buttercream in between each layer. She’d let Luke’s daughter decide on the theme for the wedding, so the wedding was Disney Princess-themed. At first, she was ready to veto the idea, but the 8-year-old had the cute idea of having all of the bridesmaids’ dresses themed after the different Princesses and the groomsmen’s tuxes themed after the Princes. Most of the important stuff had been decided on, the venue, the reception, the ceremony, the food, the cake, etc. The dress was left to find and a few other small details. Not to mention the honeymoon still needed to be worked out. But Luke was taking care of that. She walked out of the bathroom after washing her hands, heading back to the group. She sat down next to Luke, taking a drink of her wine. The four of them talked, laughed, drank, and relaxed. They were avoiding wedding talk and things were kept light and fun. 

“So, Lynnie. What are your plans for this weekend? You doing anything special for your birthday?”  
“A whole lot of nothing. Luke is working all weekend up in Manhattan, unfortunately, and the kids are with Lisa this weekend. So there’s going to be a few scary movies and lots of wine. And, time permitting, maybe some…….”

She did a double-take when she saw someone that looked like Clint across the street. She didn’t know what to say or do in that moment. Part of her wanted to go out to him and either yell at him for leaving her or pull him in for a kiss. She remembered being absolutely heartbroken when she was told that he left. She understood why, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. She’d even gone back to the circus to see if he’d gone back, only to be told by Anna that he went to see me but never came back. She’d tried to find him, but she never did. She was forced to move on, though she still found herself dreaming about him every now and then. 

“Evelyn!”

She jumped and looked over at Luke. 

“I’m sorry. I thought I saw someone from my past.”  
“Maybe it’s time to stop drinking the wine.”

She blushed when the three of them laughed, kicking Luke under the table. She hated when he did that to her. She looked back to where Clint had been, but he was gone. She wanted to get up and run out to him, but she’d missed her chance. Once again losing the one she loved. 

\------------------

Clint’s POV: 

I sat with Nat, sighing deeply as I waited for her input. I’d told her my dilemma and I’d asked for her opinion. We’ve been sitting here in silence for about 30 minutes and I was about ready to punch her. And seeing the smirk on her face, I realized she was fucking with me. 

“Come on, Nat! What do you think I should do? I don’t know what to do here!”  
“I’m not the person to be asking, Clint. But if it means this much to you, go talk to her. You found out where she lives. Go fucking talk to her.”

I ran my hands through my hair, burying my face in my hands. She was right. This shit was messing with me. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. The way she felt in my arms, the way it felt to be inside her, the laugh she had when something was really funny, the fact that she was always painting her toes black while I would make fun of her. I think that’s what I miss the most. That relaxed look she would get when she was really happy. I couldn’t take it anymore, standing up and leaving the room, going down to my bike, and riding off. I hadn’t meant to go to her house, but here I was, sitting out front on my bike, looking up at a house that I’d never be able to afford, in a complex that was definitely upper class. I was so out of place. I walked up to her door and knocked. I don’t know why I was expecting anything. She probably didn’t even remember me. I almost hoped she didn’t. Then at least I would know what to do. I would have a plan of attack. I looked up as the door opened, memories flooding back so fast as I looked at her. She looked around and pulled me inside the house, closing and locking the door behind me. 

“It was you outside the restaurant last night, wasn’t it?”  
“Which restaurant?”  
“You know which one.”

I smiled sheepishly and nodded, scratching the back of my neck. I looked at her, admiring the face I still dreamt about.

“What happened to you? I came to and you were gone. Anna came by and said you’d never gone back to the circus. What happened?”  
“I got to the hospital and they told me you’d died on the way there. I was crushed. We’d been planning to leave anyway, so I just left.”

I looked at her as she ran her hand through her hair. She started pacing around. 

“I shouldn’t have come, should I have?”  
“It’s not that, it’s just……. Clint, I’m engaged. Our wedding is in a month and everything is planned except the dress. I tried to find you, but I couldn’t.”  
“So it’s over. That’s fine. I guess I just needed to hear that. I mean, I thought you were dead and you couldn’t find me. I guess that summer romance was just a really long one. But that’s fine. I’m truly happy for you.”  
“Don’t do that.”  
“Don’t do what?”  
“That. I know you. You hate that I’m with someone else. Just be honest. Please?”  
“You want honesty? Fine.”

I looked at her, tearing up as I started signing.

‘I think it sucks. I hate you for making me fall in love with you. I hate myself for not waiting. I hate your fiance for stealing your heart. I hate this fucking shit! I saw you with some kid that called you mama and I nearly started throwing shit at the cafe. I wanted this with you. Maybe not this damn house, but the ring, the wedding planning, the kids, the pets, all of it. I was gonna propose to you and I missed my fucking chance! I fucked up and destroyed things. Again! I hate that I miss you and can’t stop thinking about you because it fucking hurts! I dream about you and up until the other day I saw you watching over me. And you’re still fucking alive!’

I looked over at her, panting in anger, my hands going a mile a minute. But she didn’t say a single word. She had tears dripping down her face that matched mine. And that was it. She launched herself at me, wrapping herself around me as she kissed her deeply, holding onto her. I carried her up to her room, only breaking the kiss to pull off our clothes. As I laid her on the bed, I couldn’t stop myself from looking her over to see if there were any scars. There were a few small ones from where the bones came through, but nothing that would indicate just how badly she’d been hurt. I let her turn my head so I was looking at her. 

“I’m fine, Clint. They don’t hurt anymore.”

I kissed her again, trailing my hand down to her clit, rubbing softly. Though it had never taken much to get her wet. I always knew which buttons to push on her to have her dripping for me. It seemed like that hadn’t changed. I had her moaning and cumming for me in no time. In fact, by the sun had started coming up, she was drenched in sweat and we had to move to the floor and put the comforter under her because she had made such a mess. We fell asleep where we were, waking up in the early afternoon. I watched her sleep and smiled before getting up and going to make some lunch, not thinking much about my surroundings. 

\----------------------

Evelyn woke up when her phone went off, getting up and going to find her phone. She cursed out loud when she saw Luke’s number on the screen, composing herself before answering. 

“Hi, honey. How’s Manhattan?”  
“Boring as hell. But I have some bad news. Some shit went down and I’ll be in Chicago until next weekend. Would you mind packing a bag for me to pick up on m way to the airport today?”  
“What went down that you have to fly to Chicago?”  
“The meeting didn’t go well with the Chinese branch so we have to regroup and come up with a different strategy.”  
“That sucks, hun. I’m sorry.”  
“I’m sorry I won’t be there for your birthday. I was looking forward to the dinner I had planned. I was gonna get the kids early and we were gonna treat you to something special. Your favorite seafood place.”  
“It’s ok. It’s the thought that counts. I gotta go get started on your bag. When are you gonna be by to pick it up?”  
“About an hour or so.”  
“Ok. Just so you know, I have a friend over. Someone from my past that I wanted to catch up with.”  
“Which one? That fling from the circus?”  
“It is, actually.”  
“Are you serious? I don’t know about this, Evelyn.”  
“Do you trust me?”  
“Not with this.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
“You know exactly what that means, Evelyn. I know you love me, and I know you love Charlie and Lydia, but I also know how much you love this guy more. I’m sorry, but I don’t trust you not to cheat.”  
“That’s not fair, Luke. I know how to control myself. I didn’t accept this ring for you not to trust me.”  
“Can you not see this from my point of view?”  
“Of course, I can. But that doesn’t mean that didn’t hurt. I’ll pack your damn bag and see you in an hour.”   
“Evelyn…..”

She hung up on him without another word. Yes, she’d just cheated, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt to learn that she wasn’t trusted. She put the sheets and comforter in the washer before putting her pajamas on, bringing Clint’s clothes to him. 

‘My fiance is on his way to pick up a bag. He’s going out of town and he’s just coming by to pick up the bag. You have to get dressed.’  
‘Does he know I’m here?’  
‘He knows what you and I shared.’  
‘Back in the circus or what happened last night?’  
‘Circus. He doesn’t trust me to be alone with you because he knows how much I loved you. And still do.’  
‘What do you wanna do about that, by the way?’  
‘I don’t know yet. I have a lot of thinking to do.’  
‘I should go.’  
‘You don’t have to. I don’t want you to.’  
‘You want me to stay?’  
‘That’s what I just said, isn’t it?’

She smiled at him before going back upstairs to pack a couple of bags for Luke, finishing up when he came into the bedroom. 

“I was hoping you’d kick him out. Why can’t you go see him at the coffeehouse?”  
“Because I don’t wanna go out, Lucas. And don’t start. You have a flight to catch and I’m not about to have this fight with you.”  
“I have time before my flight and I need to know I can trust you with him in the house. Where are the sheets?”  
“It was time to change them. And if you can’t trust me then maybe we shouldn’t be married.”  
“That’s not fair.”  
“You’re right. It’s not fair that my own fiance can’t trust me to be home alone with an old friend. That my own fiance can’t trust me to be alone with a member of the opposite sex. Because I’ve cheated on you so many times!”  
“You can’t blame me for being paranoid.”  
“No. But it comes down to trust. If you don’t trust me, then we shouldn’t get married. Because if you can’t handle me being around men then you’re going to get angry every time I’m not in your line of sight and that’s going to cause so many more problems down the road. So tell me right now. Am I taking the ring off or are you going to learn to trust me?”

\-------------------------

Clint’s POV: 

I hadn’t heard from Evelyn in days. Nat and I had something to do for SHIELD that took us to a different country, and after I was asked to leave, I didn’t know what to think. At least I had the mission to focus on. We were in Italy for the rest of the month, and by the time we got back, Evie’s wedding was two days away. There weren’t any messages for me, no sign of her asking for me, nothing. Which left me to assume that he’d kissed ass enough for her to keep the wedding date. It would’ve been nice to hear that from her, but at least I knew where I stood. I couldn’t even blame her. Or anyone really. Maybe what we had at the circus really was just a really long summer romance and those last few days was our closure. These things happen. I had just hoped it would never happen to me. I walked into my room at the apartment I shared with Nat, going to take a shower, holding my head under the water until the light flickered. I looked over to see Nat staring at me. 

‘Occupied!’  
‘You have a visitor, birdbrain. Hurry up and get out here.’

I flipped her off and went back to my shower, taking my time. I hadn’t had a proper shower the entire time we were gone and I was gonna relish it. When the hot water ran cold I got out and dried off, wrapping a towel around my waist, and went out to make coffee. 

“Hey, birdbrain. Turn around.”

I rolled my eyes and turned around, opening my mouth to say something, but the words got stuck in my throat. Evie was sitting there next to Nat, her eye swollen, lip split, bruises over what looked like quite a bit of her body that were starting to turn that gross yellow color, and some small cuts. I went over to her and looked her over, gently touching her face so I didn’t hurt her. 

“Please tell me that asshole didn’t do this to you?”  
“I wish I could. He went out drinking not long after he got back from his trip and when he got home, he started yelling that he had proof that I had cheated, though he didn’t. I tried to get him to calm down so I could get him into bed and then……. I just got out of the hospital last night. I stayed at a friend’s house yesterday. I was gonna call you, but I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

I sat down as Nat left the room to give us privacy, holding onto Evie as she cried into my shoulder, rubbing her back gently. This pissed me off. Once again she got hurt by some selfish prick that only cared about himself. I wasn’t going to let it go this time. 

“Alright. Here’s what we’re gonna do. You’re gonna stay here with Nat and I. Tomorrow, the three of us are going to the house to get your stuff. Nat and I are moving into a different place soon anyway. And then I’m gonna kick this guy’s ass from here to Budapest and back.”  
“I can’t ask you to do that, Clint.”  
“You're not asking. I’m insisting. This is happening. I hated letting you go then and I won’t do it again.”


	3. Frozen Secret

Clint’s POV: 

Having Evie around again was exactly like being back in the circus again but a million times better. We were able to catch up more. It turns out that she had stopped with her gymnastics and I begged her to start doing it again, though it didn’t take much convincing. She’d started going every Saturday and it lit her up. She’d even found an aerial class and convinced Nat to go to a class. Not that it went anywhere. Nat had no interest in learning something she already knew how to do. Evie and Nat got along really well. Nat was pretty protective when she did start trusting people and Evie loved being around her. Evie had discovered a different love after the circus. Cooking. Nat and I would go out to do something for SHIELD and when we would come home the entire apartment would smell amazing. It started out with simple things, like pot roasts, homemade pizzas, things like that. But then we would start requesting things for her to make. Russian dishes that Nat loved, German dishes that I’d wanted to try. Evie was also able to brush up on her sign language. She hadn’t been able to do much while she was with Luke because she hadn’t had a reason to. Nat was even teaching her Russian on top of it. She’d gone back to painting her own nails again. Black like when we were teens. There would be quite a few times where I would find her and Nat painting each other’s nails and talking as if they’d always been friends. She was able to get Nat out of her comfort zone every now and then. She’d gained an energy that worked in my favor. In the morning Evie would make breakfast then go for a run, except for the weekend, come back and take a shower, then she would relax and watch TV while she would decide what to make for dinner. She’d make lunch for all of us, unless Nat and I were gone, then she’d order something for herself, depending on what she was making for dinner she’d start making that too, then she’d watch more TV and do some laundry. Then she’d make dinner, or finish up making dinner, and wait for us to get home if weren’t out of town. One the times where she was in the apartment alone, we’d come home to a sparkling clean apartment, tons of leftovers, baked goods, and silly little pictures chronicling the things she’d done while we were gone. But at night, she was all mine. We’d started experimenting in bed, doing positions that take a lot of strength, or positions that you need to be able to have done gymnastics or be acrobatic. Thankfully, for both of us, we’re good at both. Tonight was one of those nights. I had her balanced on her neck as I held onto her, pounding into her. We had the rare night of Nat not being home. So Evie let loose, letting herself be loud. 

“Clint, I can’t breathe……”  
“Shit. Sorry.”

I pulled out of her and let her down gently, watching her to see if she needed to stop. It only took a minute before she was pulling me down into another deep kiss. I smirked and slid back into her, both of us groaning when I did. We’d been going for a few hours now and we’d lost count of how many times she’d cum, and I had cum a few times myself. Inside her, on her, in her mouth. We were both sensitive and almost ready to tap out, both of us sweaty and getting tired. I wasn’t gonna last much longer and I could feel how close she was too. 

“Fuck, Evie….. Gonna cum…..”  
“Cum with me. Please? I need it……”

I reached down to rub her clit, putting a little pressure on it, groaning loudly as her orgasm brought mine over with it, throbbing and whining as I spilled out inside her. I flopped down on top of her, panting and trying to get control of my breathing. She fell asleep pretty quickly when she’d curled into me after I pushed myself off of her. I was oddly buzzed, kissing her head as I carefully got out of bed. I put on some boxers and went into the living room, closing the door on my way out. I had another chance to have the life I lost out on and I was gonna take it. I just hope nothing happens this time. 

\---------------------

Evelyn woke up one morning feeling unbearably nauseous. She scrambled out of bed and ran into the bathroom, just barely making it to the toilet. She hadn’t thought to pull her hair out of the way, so by the time she finished, she needed a shower. She stepped into the water once it had heated up, sighing softly as she washed her hair first. She got dressed and went out into the living room, sitting down next to Nat. 

“You ok, немного?” (little bit)  
“You heard that? I don’t even know what happened?”  
“You’ve also been sleeping a lot. Maybe you should get checked out.”  
“I’m sure it’s just a bug.”  
“Better safe than sorry.”

She nodded, knowing that Nat was right. She grabbed her phone and called to make an appointment. The entire time she was on the phone, she was fighting back another round of vomiting, throwing the phone to the floor when the office hung up, running to the bathroom. This time, Nat came up behind her to hold her hair back. Two rounds of it. She rinsed out her mouth when she was finished, sitting down against the wall, leaning her head back as she massaged her stomach. 

“I think you might be pregnant.”  
“I can’t be, Nat. I was told a while ago that I couldn’t have kids. My PCOS makes it impossible to get pregnant.”  
“It looks like nothing’s impossible.”  
“I can’t be pregnant.”

She looked at Nat as she scrambled to her feet and slowly went back to bed. She sat up and looked over at Nat, her eyes going wide as she realized how long it’d been since she’d gotten her period. She’d always been irregular, even with her birth control, but she’d had to take antibiotics for a UTI she’d gotten a week ago. She covered her mouth with her hands, tears filling her eyes. 

“Oh my God. I’m pregnant. How the hell am I gonna tell Clint? How is he gonna take it? Does he even want kids?”  
“Hey. Relax, дорогой.” (sweetheart)

She looked at Nat, tearing up as Nat pulled her in for a hug. She broke down, holding onto the redhead. So many questions and emotions running through her and she didn’t know which to focus on first. Right now it was just fear and how this could’ve happened. She’d been told that in no uncertain terms could she get pregnant. It was never going to happen so she shouldn’t even think about it so she didn’t get her hopes up. By four separate doctors. She’d resigned herself to the idea of adopting but never really knowing what it was like to have her own biological child. 

“What am I gonna do?”  
“You’re going to talk to Clint when he comes home, you’re gonna go to the doctor’s appointment with him so that you know where to go from there, and then you’re going to do what you need to do no matter what happens.”  
“Does he even want kids?”  
“I can’t speak for him, but he seems to want a family with you. He talks about you way too much to be angry about this. But, like I said, I can’t speak for him.”

\--------------------

Clint’s POV: 

I sat with Fury and Phil, meeting with them to ask Fury if he could help me keep Evelyn’s identity a secret. SHIELD was starting to get more attention, which meant that people were being hired. Stuff like this always had a way of coming out and we were always in danger, but now I had a family to think of. I couldn’t let Evie get hurt because of what I do. And I really couldn’t let the baby get hurt. So I was here to ask if there was anything he could do to help out. 

“If you can find a place, I will do what I can to keep her identity a secret. But the only real way to keep her off the radar is to find a place in the middle of nowhere. That’s a lot of isolation.”  
“I have plans for that, I just don’t want her getting hurt because of SHIELD. Her or the baby.”  
“I’ll do what I can. But you’ll have to take care of the rest, Barton.”  
“Thanks, Fury. I appreciate it.”

I got up and left, going back to the apartment. I walked in to see Nat holding onto a crying Evie, looking at her curiously. I was curious as to what happened until I was directed to the TV where Old Yeller was playing. I bit back a laugh before going over to Evie and slipped in as Nat moved away, rubbing Evie’s back. 

“You know this movie makes you sad, Evie. Why’d you turn it on?”  
“There was nothing else on. Why’d he have to die?”

I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up, looking toward Nat, shaking his head. 

“Well, I have an idea. Why don’t we build a house? A place that’s just ours that we can call home.”

She looked up at me with watery eyes and a look of confusion. 

“What do you mean?”  
“Exactly what I said. The apartment is great, and having Nat so close has been beneficial for both of us, but with our jobs, you could get hurt. And I don’t want anything happening to you or the baby. So I asked Fury to help keep your identity a secret. But also, this was something I had planned for us back in the circus. Maybe not right away, but I’ve always wanted to have my own home. A farmhouse with all kinds of animals. Room for us to do anything we want. As many kids as we can adopt, horses, goats, pigs, things like that. We’ve already got one kid. Why not keep going?”  
“Are you sure, babe? That’s pretty big. Could we even build a house before the baby comes? And this is a huge thing to sit on. Were you ever gonna tell me?”  
“I was going to before I was told you were dead. I can get the house built before the baby, and while I’m working on the house, you and Nat can go baby shopping and pick out what you want in the house. What do you say?”

I smiled and laughed into the kiss she placed on me, holding her close. She planted kisses all over my face, making me laugh harder. From the corner of my eye, I could see Nat smiling at us as she went into her room. I looked at Evie with a big smile. 

“I found the perfect bit of land that’s just close enough to the city that you could still go somewhere with a bit of driving, but far enough away where we don’t have to worry about anyone bothering us. Except for Nat, of course.”  
“I want her to have her own room so that she can have a place to crash when she visits. And a wrap-around porch. And a pool for the backyard. One that goes really deep.”  
“We’ll see what I can do. I am gonna do a lot of this by myself.”

She looked at me with a huge smile and love in her eyes. I turned her so she was facing the wall and pulled her close so her back was pressed into my chest, wrapping my arms around her. This was a happiness that I thought I’d lost. I’m just happy I got it back again.

\--------------------

Evelyn walked into the new house with Nat, looking around at all of the work that Clint had done. 6 months into the pregnancy and the house was almost done. The few things that still had to be done were the nursery, Nat’s room, and the master bathroom. They wanted her to pick out the things she wanted for her room and ensuite. With the master bathroom, there was a bathtub they’d had custom-made that they were waiting to come in. And with the nursery, they were waiting to find out the sex of the baby to decide on a theme. If it was a girl, they were gonna go with a music theme. If it was a boy, they were gonna go with a jungle theme. But neither one of them wanted to be the first to find out, so Nat was the one to find out. She smiled at Clint as the two women walked out to him. 

“It’s amazing, babe. No. It’s perfect. I’m not even upset about the wrap-around porch.”  
“I’m glad you like it. And the tub should be here tomorrow, so I’ll install it once it gets here. Nat’s room is left, but the walls have been primed in her room and in the nursery. So it’s ready to paint or put up wallpaper.”  
“Speaking of the nursery, we have the gender. You ready to find out?”  
“Of course. Let me wash my hands and then we can find out.”

She nodded and went into the living room with Nat, massaging her belly. 

“Детка is kicking up a storm.” (baby)

She let Nat feel the kicking, smiling when the baby started calming down, the two of them moving to the couch. 

“Have you two landed on names for my godchild yet?”  
“Nathaniel Clinton for a boy and Grace Evelyn for a girl. I can’t wait to meet this little one. I’m tired of not being able to see my feet anymore.”  
“I’m not ready for you to give birth just yet. Your hormone-fueled libido is great.”  
“Shut up.”

She smiled, letting him pull her close to him as he sat down. 

“Alright, Nat. Let’s find out what we’re naming our kid.”

Both of them waited with bated breath as they watched Nat slowly open the envelope. Evelyn had her fingers crossed, though she didn’t know what for. She truly couldn’t care what they were having, she was just ready to be a mommy. Clint was completely tense. He had plans for either gender. But he was excited either way. 

\----------------------

Clint’s POV: 

I was out of town when I got the call. I’d been called on a last-minute mission when Net called me to tell me that Evie’s water had broken and they were on their way to the hospital. The majority of the job had been done and Fury had said that I wasn’t needed anymore. I took the quinjet and flew home, getting on my bike when I got to the hangar, speeding off to the hospital. It was an hour before I got to the hospital thanks to the fucking traffic, and by the time I’d gotten to the room, Evie was laying in bed with an IV in her hand and some weird monitor beeping in the background. I went over to her, kissing her softly. 

“Sorry. Stupid fucking traffic. Is there anything you need me to do?”  
“Take a breath. You and Nat are moving a little faster than needed. I hadn’t even started having any contractions when Nat brought me here. I just started having them and they’re not even bad. The only reason I got admitted was because Nat threatened the nurse to check me in. I’m tired, but I’m fine. If you really wanna do something, will you turn off the lights? I wanna take a nap before I have to worry about contractions.”  
“Ok.”

I kissed her head gently before going to turn off the lights for her, going back over and sitting down on the couch in the room, sitting back to relax. Evie let us turn on the TV in the room, but the 3 of us fell asleep around the same time, sleeping for quite a while before we were woken up by Evie’s moans of pain. I went over to her immediately, taking her hand. We didn’t take classes, so I have no idea what to do. I looked at her as I helped her out of bed. She took a few steps and reached out for me, another contraction going through her. I didn’t hesitate as I took her hands, letting her lean against me. It was like this for the next few hours. She would pace around a bit until the next contraction hit and I would have to support her because she’d be in so much pain that her legs refused to support her body. A couple more hours of this really got to her and she bust out crying. It was then that I realized that none of the nurses had come in. When Nat came back from seeing what was going on, she looked a bit stunned. 

“We’re on our own. There was some weird emergency and the doctors are all busy with other mothers.”  
“What??? We can’t do this alone!”  
“Yes, you can, дорогой. And you two aren’t alone. I’m here.” (sweetheart)

I held onto Evie when she broke down in tears, though the crying was strangled by her sudden pained scream. Nat went down to check her and then directed her back to bed. I don’t know why this seemed like a good idea, but I climbed into the bed behind her, letting her lean against me and push that way. It seemed to be the right thing to do because she rubbed my leg appreciatively. 

“Alright, you two. There’s no backing down now. This baby is coming and nothing can be done about it. So take a breath, Effie. And push.”

I took her hands as she bared down. I stayed quiet so she could focus, but I could tell how tired she was after 20 minutes of pushing with no results. 

“You can do this, Evie. When we were in the circus, you did things that made you just as tired and kept going because you’re strong. You lived with two assassins and made them your family. You’ve dealt with my stupidity, Nat’s stubbornness, and you take it all in stride. You can do this. And I can see how much this hurts, but you keep doing this, and the baby will be here. You can do this.”

It seemed to encourage her a little bit because she started pushing again. It took a little while longer, but after a lot of work on her part, Grace was put onto Evie’s chest, screaming and crying her way into the world. The three of us were crying right along with her. I carefully got out from behind Evie and went around to cut the cord. The doctor came in with a few nurses just as the afterbirth came and, after a LONG talking to from Nat about not having a contingency in place for situations like this, Grace was taken away to get cleaned and checked out. Evie was able to get back to sleep and Grace was brought back while she was. And I finally got to hold my daughter. My tiny, warm, beautiful, sleeping daughter. She was given a clean bill of health and I let Nat fill out the birth certificate while I held onto her. I didn’t want to let her go. I knew Nat wanted to hold her, but I seriously wasn’t ready to let her go. She was perfect. And nobody could tell me any different. I smiled when Grace grabbed my finger, tears dripping down my face.

“Hey, baby girl. I’m your old man. I’m not perfect, and I doubt I ever will be, so I won’t make a bunch of promises, but I’m gonna do my best. Your mama carried you for 10 months and now it’s my turn to carry you for the rest of your life. Ok?”


End file.
